A historical novel based on political turmoil

Dumbara Nilame is a historical novel. The narrative opens with a striking paragraph on the doubtful nature of the atmosphere on the eve of the capture of the last king of Sri Lanka. The period in question is 1815. To enlighten the reader on the real background, it is pertinent to quote some ideas from Prof. K.M. de Silva's A History of Sri Lanka.

“The political turmoil in the kingdom in 1814-15 can by no stretch of imagination be called a rebellion of the people. Nor can it be described as a civil war. It was a conspiracy hatched by the aristocracy against a ruler whose government was a threat to their interests as a social group, but the conspiracy achieved its purpose only because the British saw in it an opportunity to achieve their own objectives.

“There was no real decline of the Kandyan Kingdom in the sense of a deep-rooted crisis of society, nor an economic breakdown which affected the people, but only a running-down of the political machinery of the State in the face of a prolonged confrontation between the king and the chiefs in the ruling hierarchy.

Breakdown in political sphere

“The pressures built by this confrontation led to an irreparable breakdown in the political sphere, and the Kandyan Kingdom, divided against itself, became a tempting prey to the British who already had an iron grip on the coast and were not disinclined to round off total control over the island, now that a suitable opportunity had presented itself”.

The incidents narrated arise mainly out of this real history of Kandy and the neighbouring areas. The story is more a study of one man's deeds and character than perhaps any other of those included in the exhibition of nobility of the rural life.

Krishna, the protagonist is the chief incumbent or Kapurala of the Kataragama Devale. He is a relation to the Queen Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe, who, being a Dravidian, came with her from South India.

He belonged to the Nayakkar Dynasty just as the king. A devout follower of God Kataragama, the King used to sponsor the Devale, paying frequent visits to it. Thereby Krishna came to be the owner of a great deal of gold and silver coins and gems offered to God Skanda.

Krishna moves to Bibile

The story proper opens with Krishna's wife Anula and their three daughters moving about in their home in a pandemonium. They were making preparations in a hurry to leave Kandy and proceed to Bibile where Anula's brother, Bibile Nilame lived. He wielded power as Korale in the area. Since the king had been in hiding in Medamahanuwara, it was not safe for Krishna and family to remain in the city any more.

So they had to take all precautions because of increased British sentinels all over there. That is why Krishna instructed them to get ready only with the vital wherewithal! “Take only the most important outfit, particularly the jewellery and the coins”, he said to his inmates. Anula Menike further directed her eldest daughter, Jayo Menike: “You must take them in secret. If caught by the royal sentinels, they won't allow us to carry them”.

When the news of the King's flight to Medamahanuwara reached Krishna, he sent word immediately to his brother-in-law, Bibile Nilame who lived in Bibile. He came poste-haste, discussed the arrangements with Krishna to take them to Bibile for safety and left with a promise to come back soon. On the appointed day, Bibile Nilame arrived and asked his sister,” Have you got everything ready?” “Of course, brother, When my husband comes back from the Devale, he will put the last touches to our packings”, replied Anula Menike.

Alongside the main character of Dumbara Nilame, runs the thread of a romantic element carried on by the younger generation, Jayasiri Bandara, Jayo Menike and Dighayu. The author is adept in exposing the hill-country character of people.

Mansion for Dumbara Nilame

Dumbara Nilame's relationship to the King of Kandy had invested him with a sense of importance but this was weakened altogether by the overthrow of the king. Nevertheless, bracing himself to meet the fall in income and royal grace, a new life now dawned before Krishna or Dumbara Nilame. In this situation, Bibile Nilame stood by him like a tower of strength.

In the upward journey of success, Dumbara Nilame appreciated the guidance of his brother-in-law, Bibile Nilame.

As a first step in this direction, Dumbara Nilame began to put up a mansion on the site on a patch of land owned and selected by Bibile Nilame in the vicinity of his own Walawwa.

For the construction of it, Dumbara Nilame's gold and silver coins and Bibile Nilame's workforce were of immense use. Thereafter, he began to buy adjoining blocks of land from the village folk but at a fair price to them.

This held him in good stead among them. Moreover, he treated the ordinary people kindly. And he built a temple in the vicinity of his Walawwa at his own expense and had a permanent incumbent installed there.

Since his fervent fidelity to God Kataragama was second life to him, Dumbara Nilame had a separate shrine room or Devale erected close to his mansion and allowed outsiders also to worship God Skanda at his new Devale. In due course, as more and more pilgrims were seen coming to the Devale, a spacious hall was put up for them to take lodgings at night. He provided them with free food, too.

During a famine Dumbara Nilame generously extended his helping hand to the poor even from adjoining villages who sought help. In this matter, his fast thriving gem business was a factor that goaded him on in his charity.

Decline of Bibile Nilame

While his station in life was fast growing in wealth and stature, the fortunes of his brother-in-law, Bibile Nilame, who was his mentor, were waning. Out of gratitude to the King and patriotism, Bibile Nilame joins the revolt against’ the foreign rulers, loses his wealth along with his Walawwa which was set on fire by the soldiers, and finally gets killed by them in a jungle attack. His son Dighayu who was with him at the time among the rebels has a narrow escape from death.

Jayasiri Bandara represents the deposed King's army. His loyalty to the King is shown by leaving the city as a step against the British rulers. But the gradual change over of the king's confidants towards the British rulers is symbolised by Jayasiri Bandara's transition. And it points to the British administration taking firm root in the Kandyan soil.

Dighayu, the son of Bibile Nilame, stands for the people at large who resent foreign rule in their country. With his shy preparations and his disappearance from home for days on end, it is inferred that there is something brewing in secret. Finally, it comes to a point where he cannot stay any more in Bibile for fear of being captured by the British soldiers.

So he leaves Bibile for good and seeks better pastures in Minipe where he takes up residence.

Had the author added more details of the guerrilla warfare enacted by the rural community who stood up in rebellion against the British, suspense could have been heightened to an intense crisis. Then the historical impact would have been stamped stronger. Thereby the action of the novel could have been brought to a better climax.

All in all, Dumbara Nilame, both the novel and the main character, has a charming quality. The reader finds it so appealing that he does not feel like leaving the book aside until he has read it in one go. Its fascination is remarkable.